The chairman of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee said on Sunday his panel was investigating Attorney General Eric Holder for a conflict in remarks made under oath at a hearing on a government leak investigation.

Representative Bob Goodlatte and another Republican lawmaker last week asked Holder to clarify testimony he gave Congress about whether he signed off on any decision to pursue a criminal investigation of Fox News reporter James Rosen.

Asked on “Fox News Sunday” whether his panel was investigating Holder for possible perjury, Goodlatte said: “Yes, it is fair to say we are investigating the conflict in his remarks. Those remarks were made under oath.”

“But we also think it’s very important that the attorney general be afforded the opportunity to respond. So we will wait to pass judgment on that until after we receive his response,” the Virginia lawmaker said.

In his May 15 testimony, Holder said he had never been involved in any decision to pursue a criminal investigation of a journalist.

But media outlets subsequently reported that Holder had approved a decision to seek a search warrant for Fox News email records, and Reuters reported Holder signed off on a subpoena for telephone records as well. [ID:nL2N0EA02O] Rosen was described as a co-conspirator by investigators but was not charged.

The Republican lawmakers asked Holder in their letter on Wednesday for a “full and accurate account of your involvement in and approval of these search warrants.”

The Justice Department said it planned to show Holder’s testimony was factual in response to the lawmakers’ letter and the White House said Holder’s testimony was truthful.

(AP)